SXSW’s vaunted health track returns Tuesday after a COVID-forced hiatus in 2020. For those planning to attend from afar, here are five trends to watch.
The inequities of health
Protests over the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and too many others added even more urgency to an overdue nationwide conversation about systemic racism. And as public health experts have long known, racial inequity has fed health disparities for centuries.
On Tuesday, Howard University president Dr. Wayne Frederick and Michigan State University associate dean for public health integration will discuss how public health cannot truly begin to improve until racial injustice is eradicated. In their presentation, they plan to survey the social determinants of health and explain why it doesn’t fully encompass the breadth of racism’s effects on health.
Technology and disability
Other Tuesday panels will explore the leveraging of technology to more effectively address health disabilities. One session, led by speakers from Etsy and Fiverr, will examine how tech companies can do more to include people with disabilities in the workforce. Another session, featuring Cur8able founder Stephanie Thomas and United Spinal Tech Access Initiative director Brook McCall, will explore the vexing question of why the tech industry has produced so many smart technology products – yet barely touched wheelchairs. They’ll also discuss how people with disabilities are bringing innovative perspectives to the realms of fashion and technology.
The pivot to digital
Real Chemistry will host a Healthcare Media Lounge on Wednesday and Thursday focusing on digital transformation in healthcare. Speakers and sessions will address topics ranging from clinical trial diversity to the need for communications that provide “confidence in chaos.”
On Wednesday, the organization will present a behind-the-scenes look at Pfizer’s digital communications rollout during the pandemic, led by Pfizer’s Ellen Gerstein and Real Chemistry’s Jennifer Gottlieb. Another panel, featuring the Ad Council’s Catherine Chao and Real Chemistry’s Michele Schimmel, will shine the spotlight on the Ad Council’s recently launched vaccine education campaign.
The long haul
As public health experts start to turn their focus to a post-COVID future, many are cautioning that “normal” will take on an entirely new form. To that point, on Tuesday a trio of speakers – Aivita Biomedial CEO Hans Keirstead, Pattern Pharma CEO Mark de Groot and University of California Irvine professor Tom Lane – will present a long-game solution for the months and years ahead.
The evolving landscape
As the pandemic continues to disrupt all aspects of the American healthcare system, virtual care and other technological advances have proven a rare bright spot. A Tuesday panel, led by Permanente Federation CEO Dr. Richard Isaacs and Northwell Health’s Jennifer Mieres, will review how a stodgy public health infrastructure slowed down the U.S. fight against COVID-19 and how the country’s healthcare system should be rebooted in the future.
